I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of the bad habit of eating lunch at my desk. I bring my lunch to work everyday and it is easier to sit at my desk and get a little bit of work done than it is to trek down to the cafeteria. Eating lunch (or any meal, for that matter) at your desk is not a healthy habit.
According to the American Dietetic Association and the ConAgra Foods Foundation, some 70% of Americans eat lunch at their desks several times a week. One of the biggest problems with doing so is that it leads to mindless eating. When we eat at our desk we are usually distracted by emails, phone calls, or projects and do not pay attention to what we are putting in our mouths. This can lead to overeating.
To make matters worse, our desks are breeding grounds for bacteria. “The desk, in terms of bacteria, is 400 times dirtier than your toilet seat,” says Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. This is because we rarely take the time to clean our areas with disinfectant. To see just how dirty your desk is, try shaking your keyboard upside down and notice how much falls out of it.
Staying put at your desk also prevents you from getting up and taking a break. By leaving our work behind, for at least a little bit of time throughout the day, we get our creative juices flowing and free ourselves from ruts we may be in. We will return to our work feeling refreshed and hopefully with some new ideas.
There are simple tips to follow if you find that you have no other choice but to eat at your desk. Invite a colleague over to eat with you. By doing so, you will be more focused on your food and more aware of how much you are eating. Find other time throughout the day to get up and walk around, even if you stay in the building. Take time daily or weekly to wipe down your phone, mouse, keyboard, and desk with a disinfectant wipe.
Most people find it hard to break out of routines or habits. Try starting small by planning a day this week when you will eat lunch away from your desk. Once you see how much you enjoy it, it will be easier to continue.
Rachel Lukasavige is a Health Coach at Lukas Coaching. Visit
www.lukascoaching.com/resources.htm for a ton of free tools to help you improve your health, finances, business, career & life!
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